St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-23
THE COBRA's VICTIM.
A Terrible Story from Real Life in
the East Indies.

A Terrible Story from Real Life in
the East Indies.
San Francisco Examiner.
On broiling hot day, such as one
often experiences in the East Indies,
the sun was pouring down its fierce rays
upon the scorehed earth; life seemed to
be extinct, all was calm and silent, and
even the few men employed around my
house moved noiselessly about, as if to
be in keeping with the rest of nature.
My house, situated little distance
from busy town, was built of stone,
with veranda overgrown with creep
erS all around it, such as is seen in most
Angl0-lndian residences, and SUI
the beauties OF tropical climate flour
iShed.
THE STRANGE PET.
During this afternoon | was resting
myself in an easy bamboo chair alone in
my room; the blinds were drawn down
to keep it as cool as possible, but never
theless the heat was intense, making me
feel restless and irritable. Novel after
novel opened, and after reading a few
pages flung the book aside; and having
tried few minutes TO sleep, | got up
and went to one of the windows. Draw
ing up the blind quietly, saw on the
veranda my little daughter Gladiz.
She was adOred by my wife and my
self, being our only child, and was
about to tap on the glass in or
der to attract her attention, when
| noticed that she was carrying a
bowl of what appeared to be bread
and milk, and seemed to be look
ing for some one. At the same time /
saw, to my horror, a huge snake of the
from the side of the house along the
veranda toward her. She went slowly
to meet it.
knew that it would now be impossi-
bic for me to go out or to make the
slightest sound without attracting the
snakes attention, and then Shuddered,
for when once it was alarmed the cOnSe-
QuenceS might be fearful, so | had to
watch what was going to happen in a
cold perSpiratiOn of fear for the safety
of my child.
TERRIBLE MOMENT.
The cobra, on reaching the child,
reared its loathsome head in the air I'M
til level with the bowl, meanwhile dart
ing its tongue backward and forward
and casting fierce chances around to see
II danger was near, while it devoured
the bread and milk. Gladiz stroked its
head gently and called the reptile cher
pet" ''her pretty Snake.'
L watched the food gradually disap-
pear, and could have cried for relief
when saw the snake had finished its
meal, which l inwardly vowed should
be its last. 1t then crept slowly toward
hole in the side of the house, into
which it disappeared.
| rushed from the room, and, meeting
Gladiz coming into the hall, picked heI
up i'll my arms and kissed her fran
tically, eXclaiming: "Oh, GladiZ. GladiZ
the Snake!" The child began to cry,
knowing then had seen her with heI
pet. Her nurse coming up to know what
was the matter, gave Gladiz into he1
charge, and went to find my wife, to
whom l told all that had occurred.
My wife learned from GladiZ that she
had been accustomed to feed the snake
twice day-after breakfast and during
the afternoon the last three months,
and often, if she thought she was being
watched, she would leave the bowl on
the veranda, fetching it away at an.
other time.
We. my wife and myself, arranged
that the bowl should be put in it's place
as usual tomorrow morning, and that ]
should shoot the snake from the window
of my room while it was eating. We
also thought it best that GladiZ should
not be told that her pet was going to be
killed.
Breakfast was rather hurried next
morning, for was anxious to get this
dangerous pet killed as soon as possible
The bowl was temptingly put in It's
place, as directed by GIadiz, and took
upmy position with gum at the window
of my.rOOm, completely hidden from the
outside by the Venetian blind. The
child was taken by my wife to the nurs-
cry, as arranged between us the. even.
ing before. All was ready now, the
snake alone was wanting.
1t did not keep me long waiting. Soon
| saw its head appear out of the hole
The snake looked around with it's gilt
crawled out on to the veranda and made
its way toward it.
1t seemed frightened; once or twice
it turned round as if to return. Would
that it had.
My time had come; the cobra was
rapidly eating its mnal. /, carefully
bringing the gun to my shoulder, fired
The brute rolled over, Quivering and
writhing on the ground.
| began to pull up the blind. with the
Intention of going out and giving the
cobra the death-blow, when | heard a
fearful scream, and a moment after saw
Gladiz run past the window-her golden
hair loose, her dress t6rn-toward the
wounded snake.
TIE END.
Before / could prevent it she had
thrown herself on her knees by it, and
lifting its head in her hands pressed il
against her cheek, weeping bitterly
while she did so; instantly the cobra
buried its poisoned fangs into her deli
cate flesh. She screamed and unclasped
her hands from around the snake.
A cry escaped my lips as I saw what
had happened, and taking Gladiz in my
arms, carried her indoors. All thai
medical skill could do to save our chile
was done, but of no avail. In less than
two hours she was dead. Years have
passed since then, but never can for
get the events of that fearful day.